theurer



(No Model.) s SheetsSheet 1.

' J. P. THEURER.

BEER COOLER. No. 561,740. Patent-ed June 9, 1896. Fig-I (No Model.) 3Sheets-Sheet 2 J. F. THEU-RER. BEER COOLER.

No. 561,740. Patented June 9, 1896.

7 Fig.5.

C Q o .5 ---J Shvawbom K I wraamw AN DREW B GRAKAPLPHOTO-UTHQWASHINGTONDC (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 J. F. THBURBR. BEER COOLER.

Patented June 9, 1896.

on Zz'nef-J.

,Mw A L T Q Mae Wm 1$ Image/a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACGB F. THEURER, OF MILYVAUKEE, *ISCONSIN.

.BEER-COOLE R.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 561,740, dated June 9,1896. Application filed July 11, 1892. Serial No. 439,683. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J ACOB F. THEURER, of Milwaukee, county ofMilwaukee, and State of lVisconsin, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Beer-Coolers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to what are known as the Baudelot type ofcoolers used for cooling fluid in large quantities, and which consist ofaseries of pipes arranged in a vertical tier or column for thecirculation of a refrigerating fluid therethrough, while the beer orother fluid to be cooled is permitted to flow downward in a thin filmover their outer surfaces.

In the use of this apparatus in breweries it is necessary to aerate thebeer as it is cooled.

As the air employed requires to be sterilized and filtered before use itis necessary that it shall be economically used and so applied to thedescending beer as to render it effective in the highest degree. Forthis reason it is customary to inclose the cooling-pipes in a casing orhousing by which the air admitted at the base is confined and caused toact in its ascent effectively on the descending beer. It is alsonecessary that the outer surfaces of the pipes, in fact all the exposedsurfaces of the cooling apparatus, shall be thoroughly cleansed fromtime to time.

My present invention has in view more particularly the construction ofthe casing or housing and its adjuncts in such manner as to permit freeaccess to all the internal surfaces.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation ofmy improved cooler. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a pair of coolers withportions broken away. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same withportions broken away and portions shown in vertical section. Fig. a is avertical section on the line 4 e of Figs. 1 and 2, looking in thedirection indicated by the arrow; and Fig.5 is a horizontal section onthe line 5 5 of Figs. 1, 3, and a.

In the drawn gs, A represents the horizontal cooling or circulatingpipes, arranged in a vertical tier or column and connected at the endsby couplings or manifolds in any ordi-' nary manner to permit thecirculation of a refrigerating fluid therethrough.

B represents a metallic trough in which the cooling-pipes are seated atthe base, and which serves to receive thcbeer flowing downward overtheir surfaces.

0 is a distributer or feeder arranged above the cooling-pipes for thepurpose of delivering thebeer upon them, being graduated in quantity sothat it may flow down in a thin sheet or film, as usual. Thisdistributer may be in the form of a trough with a slit in its lower sideor in the form of a perforated pipe, or in any other appropriate form.

The beer to be cooled will be introduced to the feeder through the pipeD and is withdrawn from the receiving-trough B at the base through apipe E. The parts so far described closely resemble those now ingeneraluse and operate in the same general manner.

Referring now to the improvements fOlllling the subject-matter of myinvention, it will be observed that each tier or column of cooling-pipesis inclosed by a casing or housing consisting, as shown moreparticularly in-Fi g. 2, of vertical endplates F and vertical sideplates or walls G, all'inade of sheet-copper or other suitable material.The end plates F are fixed rigidly in position, being flanged inward attheir edges and secured to the flanges of fixed vertical I-beains H, asshown more particularly in Fig. 5.

The side or wall plates G are arranged to slide vertically, beingconnected by a series of vertical beams H, with which clips g, fixed tothe side plates, are arranged to engage. These clips, sliding on thevertical rails, serve not only to guide the wall-plates, but also tosustain them in position and prevent them from springing or twisting outof shape as they slide upward and downward. At their lower edges thewall-plates G are arranged to enter small troughs or boxes 1), formedalong the sides of the receiving-troughs B, and containing water orother fluid for the purpose of producing a close joint or seal toprevent the escape of the air which is delivered, as shown in Figs. 2and 3, through one of the end plates by a pipe 1, leading from a filterJ, to connect with the blower or other air-forcing mechanism of anyapproved form.

The cooler I ordinarilybuild of a height of eighteen feet moreor less,and I therefore propose to employ in connection with the movablewall-plates means of any suitable character for raising and loweringthem. I recommend the arrangement shown in the drawin gs, in which Krepresents supporting-chains attached to the upper edges of thewall-plates and carried thence upward over pulleys and provided at theirends with counterweights L. The chain-pulleys are mounted on ahorizontal shaft M, which is also provided with pulleys O, supportingendless chains P, extended downward within reach of the attendants, whoare thus enabled by moving chains P to raise and lower the side or wallplates at will. The space between the upper edges of the wall-plateswhen they are in operative position maybe closed in any suitable mannerfor example, by a stationary top plate.-

In order to insure tight vertical joints between the ends of the movablewall-plates and the stationary end plates, I provide the wallplates ontheir outer surfaces, as shown in Fig. 5, with rubber or otherpacking-strips Q, and I mount between the wall-plates means for forcingthem outward, so as to compress the packing against the vertical bars H,to which the end plates are joined. The mechanism for thus spreadingtheplates may be of and connected by inwardly-extending links S toanintermediate vertically-movable bar T, the upper end of which isfashioned into a vertical threaded neck or screw t,'extended through ahand-wheel or nut U, mounted on a cross-bar V, bolted to the verticalbars or standards II. By turning the, hand-wheel in the proper directionthe bar T is lifted and the. links straightened, so that they force thebars R outward, causing them in turn to crowd the wall-plates outward.The barsR are slotted horizontally at their upper ends and sustained byrollers on stationary bolts \V, seated in the bar V. In this manner thebars R are suspended, but allowed to move freely inward and outward.

From the foregoing description it. will be understood that when thecooler-is in action the casing or housing is closed at the bottom by thewater seal in which the end plates are seated, andclosed at the end bythe pressure.

devices forcing the plates apart soas to compress the packing. Q.

When the plates are to be lifted to open the cooler and expose thepipes, the hand-wheel U is turned, so as to lower the inner ends of thelinks and retract the pressure-bars R, the effectfof which is to release,the ends of the wall-plates; so that they may be freely raised.

It will be observed that when either plate is raised independently ofthe other its inner surface is exposed above the cooler,.so that it maybe readily cleaned. .The .raisingofj both plates exposes all of thepipes and'the interior of. the trough and the other parts of the cooler,so that itmay be. thoroughly cleansed.

While I have described herein the wallplates arranged to move verticallyaway from the cooling-pipes, and while I prefer to retain thisconstruction because of the economy in floor-space secured thereby, itis to be understood that my invention comprehends, broadly, thearrangement of the side walls to be moved away from the cooling-pipes toexpose the latter to View, and this may be effected either by a verticalmovement described or by a horizontal movement.

One of the advantages of my present construction lies'in the fact thatit permits me to construct the casing with its walls in close proximityto the pipes, so that the entire body of air blown into the cooler iscaused to act directly upon the descending fluid.

Itis no longer necessary, as in apparatus heretofore used, to constructthe casing of such size as to permit the attendants to enter the same. Isecure economy both as regards the space occupied and the consumption ofair.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a coolingapparatus the combination of a series of stationary cooling-pipes, ahousing or casing therefor open at or near the top and hermeticallysealed' below against the admission thereto of outside air, a source ofpurified air connected with said housing at or near the base, and meansfor moving the walls of said casing away from their operative positionsto expose the cooling-pipes, substantially, as. and for the-purposes setforth.

2. In a cooling apparatus of the type herein"(lescribed,.the combinationof a. series of cooling-pipes, a housing or casing having an air-outletat or .near the top and an air-inlet at or near the base connected witha source of purified air, guides whereon said housing .is movable fromits operative position to exthe purposes set forth.

3. Ina cooling apparatus the combination of the refrigeratingrpipes, thetrough thereunder, a housing having an air-outlet at or near the top andan inlet at or near the base and composed of the stationary end platesand the vertically-movable side plates, means of hermetically sealingthe joints between said plates. when they are in operative position, anda source of purifiedja'ir connected with the inlet-opening of saidhousing, substantially as and. for the. purposes set forth.

4. In .acooler, the combination of the stationary coolingpipes, thestationary end plates, the vertically-movable side plates,counterweights connected therewith, means for raising .and lowering saidplates, and

,means of hermetically sealing the joints between said plates when theyare in operative position, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

5. In a cooling apparatus, and in combination with thevertically-movable side-wall plates of the housing, the suspendingchains and counterweights,the hand-chains and connections for raisingand lowering the plates, and means of hermetically sealing the side andlower edges of said plates when they are in operative position,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In a cooling apparatus and in combination with the cooling-pipes, thestationary end plates, the vertically-movable side-wall plates,intervening packing, and pressure devices substantially as described toclose the joints between the plates.

'7. In a cooling apparatus and in combina tion with the cooling-pipes,the stationary end plates, the movable side plates, intervening packingand pressure devices adapted to close and hermetically seal the jointsbetween the plates when they are in operative position, substantially asand for the purposes set forth.

8. In a cooling apparatus and in (ZOIIlblllZlr tion with thecooling-pipes, a trough B and its pockets or fluid-seals b, and thehousing having an air-outlet opening at or near the top and comprisingmovable Wall-plates arranged to enter said pockets at their lower edges,means of hermetically sealing said wall-plates at the side edges whenthey are closed, and a source of purified air connected with the lowerpart of said housing and adapted to produce therein an upward current ofair in contact with the liquid descending over said pipes and therebyaerate the same Without admitting outside air thereto, substantially asand for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 14th day of April,1892, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

JACOB F. THEURER.

Witnesses:

RICHARD BERKHOLZ, EMIL BEsT.

